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Schizophrenia and the Scars of Slavery

Timothy Hunter

Department of Psychology, Mid-American Christian University

Psych 4703 - Psychology of Abnormal Behavior

Professor Bailey Trammell

May 21, 2024

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A Story of History and Healing

The weight of history feels heavy on my shoulders, just like it does on all Black youth.

Schizophrenia, with its confusing jumble of symptoms, is even more disorienting when you see it

through the lens of the trauma passed down from slavery (Comas-Díaz, 2019). It can feel like

this trauma is tangled up with the disorder itself, shaping how someone would experience

everything. This is Schizophrenia through the lens of a black youth in 1st person.

Here's what I mean: Schizophrenia throws all sorts of symptoms at you – hearing

voices, feeling withdrawn, having trouble focusing. But for Black youth, these symptoms can

take on a different meaning because of our history and the ongoing effects of racism.

The Voices: Hearing voices can be terrifying, but what if they echo the fragmented

stories of ancestors ripped from their homes and families?

Feeling Watched All the Time: The constant feeling of being watched (paranoia) might

feel a lot like the hyper-vigilance Black communities have developed due to historical oppression

(Sellers & Helsdingen, 2008).

Thinking Everyone's Out to Get Me: Delusions of persecution can take on a racialized

form, reflecting the very real threats Black people have faced throughout history.
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Feeling Emotionally Numb: Sometimes I feel completely emotionally numb. Could this

be a response to needing to shut down emotions to survive the brutality of slavery (Allen, Byrd,

& Cole, 2008)? This coping mechanism might have been passed down through generations,

making it hard for me to express my feelings freely.

Pulling Away from Others: Withdrawing from social interaction is another symptom,

but maybe it's a way of protecting myself from a world that still feels unsafe. Maybe it's a

learned behavior from generations who faced violence and discrimination.

Trouble Focusing and Remembering: Difficulty concentrating or remembering can be

incredibly frustrating, especially when I'm trying to navigate a world that hasn't always offered

equal opportunities. These struggles can be even worse because of the historical and ongoing

educational inequities faced by Black communities (Gonzales, et al., 2016).

Getting diagnosed and finding treatment feels like an uphill battle for Black youth. Here's

why:

Therapists who understand: I need therapists who get the legacy of slavery and how it

impacts mental health. They need to be able to tell the difference between spiritual experiences

passed down through generations and psychotic symptoms.

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Talking About the Past: It's important to openly discuss the historical context of mental

health struggles in Black communities. This will help therapists gain a deeper understanding of

what I'm going through.

Building Trust: The history of racial bias in healthcare can make it hard to trust

therapists. I need someone who actively builds trust and creates a safe space for me to be open

and honest.
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References

Allen, J. E., Byrd, A. L., & Cole, S. W. (2008). The enduring effects of slavery on

mental health in African Americans: A comprehensive review and future directions. Journal of

Black Psychology, 34(3), 353-389.

Comas-Díaz, L. (2019). Latinx mental health: A clinical guide. Oxford University Press.

Gonzales, C. M., et al. (2016). Early school leaving among youth with mental health

conditions: The contribution of race and ethnicity. Journal of School Health, 86(7), 523-533.

Sellers, R. M., & Helsdingen, K. M. (2008). Racial microaggressions and the

psychological well-being of African Americans. Current Directions in Psychological Science,

17(6), 381-385.